


Care for the Weary Soul

by Okadiah



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: AU, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Ulaz (Voltron) Lives, shiroshipweek2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-24
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-05-28 00:59:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15037196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Okadiah/pseuds/Okadiah
Summary: A series of stories exploring the growing relationship between Shiro and Ulaz, and the care Ulaz has for the human he'd saved. Each chapter is inspired by the shiroshipweek2018 tumblr prompts.





	1. Flowers

**Author's Note:**

> All right, I'm doing the rarepair Uliro. I love Ulaz and I love Shiro and I think that they'd have been good for each other, so here we are.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 1 - Flowers: Ulaz breaks away from a lively celebration only for Shiro to follow him to a glowing field of flowers.

Although Ulaz understood these goodwill diplomacy missions the Altean Princess and her paladins undertook on a fairly regular basis, they were also difficult for him.

It wasn’t for the reasons the others likely thought. Ulaz knew what he was, and he understood the Galra were not well liked on the worlds they conquered. He was aware of what his presence did when those around him realized what was concealed within his Blade’s uniform, and in truth it did not bother him. These people were right to be wary, despite his efforts to aid them. After everything his species had done, they deserved that right. He did not blame them.

No, the reason he left was because these gathers simply were not a place for him. He was a warrior. A soldier. A weapon. Not a diplomat, and the loud press of so many others as they celebrated freedom made him uneasy.

He’d left, as he always did, for peace. For solitude. In his time as a spy among the Galra Empire, he’d spent much of it in his lab or creeping about in search of information to send back to the Blade. When he was with the Blade of Marmora, a pervasive silence clung to the base, broken only by the sounds of training and crossed blades. Ulaz had spent months alone waiting for Shiro at his outpost, and it had never bothered him. Far from it.

Silence. Solitude. They were where he found inner strength and inner peace. The cacophony of the feast this evening was too much for him, and so he’d put his skills to use and slipped out without anyone the wiser, as he always did.

Besides, it was important to remain on guard. He would be the last to allow an ambush to ruin the event Shiro and the others had worked so hard for.

Ulaz breathed deeply as the wind shifted, bringing with it the faint floral scent of the flower fields around him. This planet was unique in that it had developed in a state of perpetual twilight. Every living thing here boasted some form of bioluminescence, and the red flowers blooming as far as the eye could see under the deep violet sky were no different. It was quiet here, though if he tilted his ears just right he could hear the distant sounds of the celebration well underway. Quiet enough to settle his nerves. Quiet enough to think.

Though this time when he tilted his ears, he heard footsteps making their way toward him, their tread familiar and confident. Not those of an assassin attempting to sneak up behind him.

Ulaz turned and was unsurprised to find Shiro drawing closer.

The human was dressed in the clean colors of his Black Paladin armor, though the white of his forelock was tinged red with the light of the flowers. He looked different from when Ulaz had seen him at the feast. He’d been engaging, the confident leader in support of Princess Allura. But Ulaz had seen the dark rings clinging to Shiro’s eyes. Saw the way his shoulders tightened the longer the event progressed.

They’d all participated in enough of these diplomatic celebrations to know it would be either the Black Paladin or the Blade who would leave first. It wasn’t uncommon that the other followed soon after.

Shiro smiled at him when their eyes met.

“Patrol?” Shiro asked in greeting, stopping beside him to gaze across the ruby fields.

“Patrol,” Ulaz agreed, the second half of their classic response. Usually one or the other passed on after the greeting, but Shiro stayed this time and Ulaz found himself relaxing at the new development. They spent a great deal of time together, it was true, in training or on mission. But it was rare that it was just the two of them alone.

He found he wanted to make the most of it.

“Despite this planet’s peace, I did not feel it was wise to let our guard down.” He paused, then added more quietly, more practically, “And a Blade is not something which inspires peace within a social gathering such as this.”

“Well, they’ve got to get used to you sometime,” Shiro said matter-of-factly. “And get used to the idea that not all Galra are like Zarkon. But I can hardly say anything. I get it.”

Ulaz glanced at Shiro and noted the slight tightness at the edge of his smile. It made him look much older than he was. It made him look tired and vulnerable in a way that Ulaz felt deep within.

“Before you joined, I was usually the only one doing what you’re doing,” Shiro admitted. “I’d say it was to go on patrol, and that was true, but really it was just for a break. It’s always loud, and there are so many people there. It’s so hard to let my guard down when it’s the only thing that’s kept me alive, and getting away is relieving. The others don’t quite get that, thank God. They can relax and have fun and feel vulnerable in a way that’s healthy. Not … stressed.”

In this, Ulaz understood completely. But he couldn’t help but say, “I’ve seen you relax with your fellow paladins. You are often the center of their world, not only for your leadership, but for your charisma. You have … fun with them. You appear to relax.”

“Sure,” Shiro said with a slight chuckle. “But the extent of it isn’t anywhere near what it was when I was back on Earth, before the Kerberos mission. I used to be like them in a lot of ways. More … carefree. That’s why I do what I can when I can to keep them energized and light-hearted, despite the war. Happy. I don’t want them to see how hard it is for me sometimes.”

The paladin took a deep, centering sigh.

“But where they’re fully engaged in whatever game we’re playing or movie we’re watching, half of my mind is always aware in case of an attack. They can sleep whenever they like when I’m around because they trust me, and I won’t sleep when they’re around. I’ll always guard them. And, in a way, it’s funny,” Shiro added with a soft smile. “It’s paradoxical, kind of, because it relaxes me. I’d rather be on guard, watching over everyone else, than relaxed and vulnerable. I’m relieved to be alert.” Shiro shook his head. “It’s crazy.”

Ulaz studied him, considered his words. Trying to find something which might ease his friend.

“Earth must be a very peaceful place,” he finally said. Shiro smirked, but there was a bittersweet look there as he stared at the vast sky as if looking toward his home.

“I hadn’t thought so when I was there. It’s amazing what a bit of perspective can do for you. On Earth, we have all sorts of crime and violence. Wars we fight among ourselves. We can be pretty cruel to each other. But since leaving Earth, all I can think is that we are so innocent and naïve there. Like children. In comparison to other places I’ve visited since leaving Earth, I can’t help but think Earth _is_ peaceful.”

Ulaz couldn’t help his curiosity.

“Would you go back?”

A faint zephyr of wind trickled through the trees and past them. It played with their hair and swept along Ulaz’s short fur like a caress. Caused the glowing red flowers to bob and sway. It brought about an unexpected quietness, something calm and contemplative which made the man beside him seem a world away as he searched his mind. A being of wisdom and sublime tranquility.

“I think I would. I’d like to,” Shiro said softly, but that bittersweet quality clung to his words. “But … only to visit. Not to stay.”

Ulaz arched an eyebrow in silent question, surprised, and a wry smile drew across the paladin’s lips.

“It’s too … bright there,” Shiro finally added. “Filled to the brim with energy and life and people. Innocence. Happiness. Eagerness. Potential.” Shiro’s gaze slid along the length of his prosthetic arm, and though his lips were still curled, his eyes darkened. “But … I’ve seen too much. It’s my home, but I don’t think I could stay there. Not for long.”

“Then where would you go?”

Shiro shrugged, and the darkness in his eyes seemed to lighten at the question. As if the possibility breathed life back into his battered soul.

“I don’t know,” the human admitted. “But there’s so much out here, now. So much to see. So much to explore. There’s beauty beyond anything I could ever have imagined, like this place.” He gestured to the fields of radiant red flowers filling the twilight world. “There are so many people who still need help. I could help them.”

“A lifetime of service,” Ulaz said, unsurprised and yet still so impressed by this strange man’s answer. “And if the day comes when your help is no longer needed?”

Shiro laughed. “I haven’t thought that far ahead. What would the Blade of Marmora do, if you’re no longer needed?”

Ulaz was taken aback by the sudden and unexpected question. In truth, he hadn’t thought so far ahead either. When he’d joined the Blade, he’d known it was likely he’d die in its service long before any resolution could be made. There was no point in thinking past the completion of their shared mission because that would only make his work that much harder. A useless waste of his time.

But because of his efforts — because he’d freed Shiro — the end might be on its way. Within grasp in a way it never had been before. And should that day come, there was a possibility he might very well survive his mission.

What _would_ he do, if that was the case?

“I do not know,” Ulaz said, unable to draw a satisfactory answer. “I have no family, nor a home to return to. No plans.” He fell silent before quietly saying, “I imagine I would take a similar path as you, Shiro. My life has been spent in service, and I have a very particular skill set, as you do. It would be best used continuing to rid the universe of Zarkon’s influence. Free those who cannot free themselves. Guard the universe and the bright future we will have worked so hard to bring about.”

The gentle wind swept his words away, though now it was impossible to remove them from his mind. Should the Blade disband one day, barring death, it was the only future Ulaz could envision. He’d heard others in the Blade sometimes mention a lover. A favorite place. An interest. But Ulaz had never had any of that, not to an extent which lingered. He was a doctor. A scientist. An intellectual. He was a spy. An assassin. An outsider even among his own species. He’d never thought of himself as more than this. Never dared to want more than this.

But with Shiro beside him, a reminder of his actions, his beliefs and hopes, everything _he_ had done … he wondered. Perhaps it was too early to dare, but … now he was wondering. Something almost to look forward to.

“It doesn’t sound so bad, does it?” Shiro breathed, mirroring Ulaz’s thoughts with a voice as soft as the slow rustle of the bobbing flowers around them. A grin suddenly spread across the paladin’s face. “Who knows. Maybe we could do all that together?”

A cool wave of surprise swept through Ulaz. Now _that_ hadn’t even crossed his mind. Working alongside Shiro felt natural. When teams were made between him and the other Paladins of Voltron, it was only right that he and Shiro pair up. They made a brilliant and effective team, compensating for each other’s skills and weaknesses with little flaw.

Ulaz found, as he stared at Shiro bathed in the calm twilight and tender luminescence of the flowers, that he … would not mind such a partnership, should the opportunity present itself one day.

He would not mind it at all.

“Perhaps,” he finally said, and left it at that. He was unwilling to think more upon the idea, not when it tugged at him in a way nothing else had. At least, not since he’d felt so strongly about freeing Shiro.

It fascinated him that after such a long life spent avoiding ties and desires out of necessity and a need to be the best Blade he was able, the only times he’d felt so strongly often involved Shiro.

“Perhaps,” Shiro agreed with a contented smile, breaking the silence after a tick or two. “Anyway, I guess I’ll move on. Doesn’t seem like we’re doing a good job if we’re both here and no one’s keeping an eye on the other side of the village.” Shiro turned to leave. “I’ll see you later, Ulaz.”

The words were out of the Galra’s mouth before he’d even realized he’d said them.

“You could stay,” Ulaz said, causing Shiro to pause. “If you like. I set security drones to patrol the other half of the village. They will alert me if there is any activity.” Slowly he added, “I would welcome your company.”

Shiro stared at him, features unreadable before a smirk that made the human’s eyes light settled on his lips.

“Well, if you’re sure. You certainly couldn’t have picked a better place,” Shiro said, coming back to stand beside him, shoulders relaxing. “Besides, you’re a pretty great conversationalist.”

“Lance would say otherwise.”

A warm laugh slipped out of Shiro, and the sound filled the air with radiance much like the flowers around them, adding to the field’s gentle solitude and causing Ulaz’s chest to relax. For his eyes to soften and for the faintest smile of his own to join Shiro’s.


	2. Proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 2 - Proposal: Ulaz struggles to make sense of Shiro's confusing behavior before the right question leads to unexpected and new developments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just fun and a smidge self-indulgent. I hope you enjoy!

Something was growing between himself and Shiro, and it had been growing for some time since he’d joined the Paladins of Voltron.

And it was setting Ulaz distractedly ablaze.

Truth be told, Ulaz could only say for certain that something was growing within _him_. It was … difficult, to say the least, because these humans were always so surprising, so confusing and strange. Just when he was sure he understood some essential aspect of their species, he inevitably found he was wrong. Of the small sample he had access to, he could only conclude that they were a shamelessly unpredictable race, following their emotions and allowing their many desires to direct them — oftentimes to confusing folly, but sometimes to levels of brilliance Ulaz had never before witnessed in his life.

Shiro was no exception.

The first few months after Princess Allura had allowed him to stay permanently within the Castle of Lions — filling the role of physician, Galra specialist, Blade of Marmora attaché, and espionage agent — he’d noticed certain peculiarities in Shiro’s behavior, but had written them off entirely. Earth and the human race had never encountered cultures beyond their own, and so it was inevitable that the paladins — Shiro included — would stumble upon differences; unknowingly crossing cultural and behavioral lines like children without realizing it.

But it was difficult to write them off when they were so … primal.

Under normal circumstances, long, drawn-out touches among the Galra would signify attraction. Interest in a potential mate. The same could be said about certain types of eye contact. Body mirroring. The Galran way of courtship was a subtle art of intentional body language which gave way to direct confrontations and declarations of intent. Often, among the Galra, signals of attraction were clear and unmistakable. If Shiro had been Galran, Ulaz would have known what this behavior was from the first deliberate touch.

But he was not. The paladin was of Earth, boundlessly confusing and could not be expected to know better. Could not be expected to know that the long strokes down Ulaz’s forearms did more than gain his attention, but enticed. That the eye contact would be considered appealing and spark desire. That the mirroring of their bodies spoke of trust and loyalty, and everything together signified something more.

Shiro could not possibly know … and yet Ulaz could not bring himself to ask. Not yet, anyway.

Not when he couldn’t help but bask in the unintentional attention.

Every long caress of Shiro’s fingers against his fur pulled at his desire and made him crave. Interspecies relationships were not unheard of – if occasionally frowned upon – among the Galra. His attraction to Shiro did not surprise him, though he was wary he might overstep some human boundary if he attempted to court the earthling. Ulaz had watched all the paladins. Listened to them and gathered a sketch of their general habits and beliefs which suggested an interest in mating relationships typically between males and females, though perhaps not strictly within their own race. Which logically meant that, though Shiro might accept him as a Galra, as another male he might not.

But these innocent signals had been increasing as of late, and they were as alluring as they were distracting. His work had dropped slightly given his preoccupation – not that it was obvious – and in his own interactions with Shiro, he could not help but reciprocate with the same sorts of strokes, of eye contact, of mirroring, and be filled with aching curiosity when Shiro returned his declares of interest so casually.

Something would have to be done about his predicament, and soon. It was one thing to savor. It was another thing entirely to pine and want for the possibility of what could not be. He would need to confront Shiro, even if it meant he would need to abandon his own desires. And he would, if that was the case, because he was Galra, and it did no one good to linger. And he would do it because he was a Blade, and such attachments were dangerous enough as it was.

Though with Shiro, it was often harder to remember those reasons.

A knock on his door pulled Ulaz from his thoughts and with a glance at the time, he saw he’d spent longer than he should have in his musings. Another gentle knock ensured he’d chastise himself later, and with the stoic calm he was known for, he opened his door.

He did not know if he was surprised, mortified, or thrilled to find Shiro standing there, a small smile on his lips though there was a pinch at the corner of his eyes.

“Shiro,” Ulaz said, brow furrowing as he took the human in, checking for injuries. “Is something wrong?”

“Kind of?” Shiro said before he sighed, crossing his prosthetic across his body to hold it. “Actually, I was wondering if you could run a diagnostic on my arm? Ever since that last battle, it feels like something’s loose or disconnected. I keep getting these shocks when I twist it a certain way.”

“Of course.” Ulaz stepped aside. “We can do it here if you like. I have the proper equipment. I’m surprised you did not ask Pidge or Hunk to run the diagnostic.”

“I don’t want to bother them. They’re ‘punking’ it up right now, outfitting one of the smaller ships with something I’m sure is impressive.” Shiro’s smile took on an odd light. “Besides, I think I’d rather bother you if you’ve got the time.”

“It’s never a bother,” Ulaz replied, pleased to hear Shiro would choose him over his teammates. He gestured to the edge of his bed while he focused his mind on the task at hand. “Sit there. It should not take long to diagnose the problem and fix, if I am able.”

With practiced proficiency, Ulaz ran the diagnostic and found that, yes, there was indeed a loose connection midway up the forearm. Luckily it was one which wouldn’t require a complete dismantling and was fixed within five dobashes.

Ulaz pulled away, looking up from his work. “There. Test it. Let me know if you experience any other discomfort.”

Lifting his arm, Shiro twisted it this way and that without hesitation, a smile pulling at his lips as he did so.

“Thanks,” Shiro said, testing his prosthetic by curling and uncurling it. Wiggling his fingers before making a fist and relaxing it. “I really appreciate it, Ulaz. Feels good as new.”

“You’re welcome. Do not hesitate to ask me should it bother you again. It is my pleasure.”

The warm press of fingers on the fur of his forearm made Ulaz pause. Shiro’s eyes softened.

“I know. It means a lot to me.”

And Shiro’s fingers slid slowly down the length of Ulaz’s arm, eliciting a blossom of molten warmth that curled slowly down the length of his spine. The caress was so unexpected that it slipped past his role as doctor and friend and relentlessly summoned all of his earlier thoughts concerning Shiro and his behavior.

And Ulaz found he could not stop himself. Not this time.

“When you do that,” Ulaz said, holding Shiro’s dark eyes carefully with his own as he caught and closed his hand around the paladin’s before he could draw it fully away. “Do you know what it means to Galra?”

While he’d half expected, half hoped that surprise and confusion would cross the human’s face, that was not the case. Instead, a spark lit Shiro’s eyes as if he’d been waiting for this question. Shiro smiled.

“Yes.”

Desire curled within Ulaz, unrestrained, and this time he did not pause to question or hesitate. Did not try to find another logical reason, that perhaps Shiro had misunderstood in some way. But there was no misunderstanding in Shiro’s gaze.

And so, Ulaz simply pulled the Black Paladin closer and closed the distance with a kiss.

He was not disappointed when Shiro didn’t pull away, nor when he responded without surprise or pause. But the kiss did not last long, nor did either of them attempt to push it further than what it was. When Ulaz pulled slowly away, he gave Shiro a curious look. The human couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across his face.

“I was wondering how long it might take to get to that,” Shiro said, scrubbing a hand down the lower half of his face though it did nothing to remove the smile there. “If you had held out any longer, I would have given up.”

“All this time, your behavior was intentional?” Ulaz struggled to come to terms with what was happening before him. “I’ve been under the impression that you knew nothing about Galran courtship behavior.”

“I know a little,” Shiro admitted. “A while back Coran helped me find a book on Galran behavior and body language. I thought it might be important to learn them in case it ever gave me an edge in battle.”

Ulaz stared.

“Did you expect to seduce a Galra mid-battle?”

Shiro laughed, and his voice was bright and filled with mirth. It dominated Ulaz’s attention and made his heart beat faster. His perception of the world focused entirely on it and the man who had created it. “Of course not. I’d studied signs of aggression. General body language. I hadn’t even considered anything like that. Not at first, at least.”

“Not at first?” Ulaz arched a brow.

“Well, you hadn’t exactly signed on with Team Voltron yet,” Shiro said with a shrug. “And we’d been so busy that the possibility of anything with anyone wasn’t exactly on my mind. Least of all, Galra.”

“What changed?”

“I’m not sure much did, to be honest,” Shiro said. “Besides the obvious, you joining us. I don’t know. We’ve gone on a lot of missions together. We work well together. We spend a lot of time together. We’re almost always on the same wavelength, and I like you.” The clear, sure honesty was a breath of fresh air to Ulaz after so long analyzing Shiro’s confusing behavior. He couldn’t tear his eyes away. “I think it was just a matter of time before I got curious.”

“I see,” Ulaz said with a growing smirk. “And so, you had a book.”

“I wasn’t expecting a whole lot, to be honest,” Shiro admitted, his cheeks reddening slightly. “I stuck with the most obvious signs and hoped, of course. I hoped a lot. I guessed you might not have so much of a problem with me being another species, but I wasn’t sure if you’d be interested in, well, me.”

Ulaz had no idea what Shiro meant by that. His sex. His personality. His history. All the things Ulaz knew Shiro harbored darkness for deep within his being. But that did not matter, because he _was_ interested. He had been for some time.

And when Ulaz kissed Shiro this time, it was far from chaste. He plundered Shiro’s mouth, marveled at the strange and appealing differences of the earthling’s form as Shiro gave as much as he received. A warm hand settled on Ulaz’s shoulder as Shiro shifted into a position across Ulaz’s lap, rising above him. Playfully fighting him.

By the time they pulled away, Ulaz was almost smug with the breathless quality he’d left Shiro with.

“I hope that settles your uncertainty,” he said, and Shiro laughed.

“Well, it certainly settled something.”

A low roll of sound curled out of Ulaz’s throat as he held Shiro’s hips between his hands, pulling his straddled form closer against him.

“I have desired you for some time,” Ulaz said honestly. “But given your species, let alone your history, I had not dared to hope.”

Still, though they’d progressed this far, he needed to know how far Shiro desired to go. Generally, if Galra engaged this far it was because they were willing to pursue a full courtship, and the attraction behavior was a way of determining if the partner was receptive. Ulaz was, but did Shiro understand the full extent of what he was asking? He had to know.

“What do you want, Shiro?”

“Not one to beat around the bush, are you?” Shiro asked.

“Galra are not coy, if that is what you mean.”

Shiro chuckled. “Well, that’s true.” The human studied him for a long moment before saying, “I like you, Ulaz. And I’m attracted to you. I want to get to know you and I don’t intend for whatever might happen between us to be a fling. I’d like it to be something more, but ….”

Shiro trailed off as if unsure what he should say about the future — which Ulaz had noted was a common character trait among the humans. Ulaz couldn’t help but attempt to clarify.

“You desire a physical relationship.”

“Well, yes,” Shiro said, flushing though he continued to hold Ulaz’s gaze. “But more than that. Companionship. Intimacy.”

Ulaz was silent for a moment, considering this strange earthling before he said, “You must understand that the Galra are not a casual race. We are often focused and deeply committed. We may take lovers, but this is often done with the intention of permanency. I understand that humans are not entirely the same.”

Silence permeated the space between them, and as it grew, the more the hope Ulaz had found briefly at finding his interest in Shiro was returned began to cool. It was one thing to find mutual attraction. This happened frequently between the Galra as it might any other race. But commitment was often not the case, and both would leave instead on friendly terms. That was the Galran way. If Shiro did not wish to pursue more with Ulaz, that would be the way it was.

Much as he hoped for the opposite.

“I … I wouldn’t be opposed to something more … permanent,” Shiro said, a blush coloring his cheeks though he did not shy away, and the hope in Ulaz’s chest rose once more. “But you’re going to have to be patient with me. I’m probably going to mess up sometimes, and I’ve got a lot of problems you’d have to deal with. That is, if _you’re_ even interested, of course.”

Ulaz smirked. Shiro, the Black Paladin, leader of Voltron, hero of the universe, Champion of Zarkon’s arena, and more importantly, his _friend_ , was asking if he was willing to accept Shiro’s proposal?

The Galra shifted, pressing against Shiro with intent, causing the blush spreading along his cheeks to deepen though he didn’t push Ulaz away.

“I am interested,” he crooned, his lips brushing against Shiro’s as he spoke. “You are strong. You are powerful. You are brave and intelligent and kind beyond measure. Selfless. You would make anyone a strong mate, one day, even despite the problems or flaws which concern you. Whoever you choose should be honored to be yours. I would be honored.”

This close Ulaz felt as much as heard the faint draw of breath Shiro made at the word ‘mate’. Shiro’s dark eyes were at half-mast as his were, their gazes locked. Cutting out the rest of the world.

Ulaz tipped his head to the side, letting the short fur of his cheek brush along Shiro’s skin before saying along the line of Shiro’s ear, “And you need not worry. Galran relationships are ones built on time and intimacy. Trust and care. We take them very seriously when we engage in them. You do not need to ask for patience or understanding. It is given.”

Shiro’s soft sigh brushed over the fur at his neck, warming the area and making it tingle with pleasure. It was a testament to Ulaz’s self-control that he managed to pull away, even if it was only so he could hold Shiro’s eyes again.

“But I should remind you, Shiro, that we are in a war. Anything could happen to either of us.” Ulaz sighed. “Beginning something like this could end painfully. Likely will, given our positions within it.”

Shiro chuckled. “Trust me, I haven’t forgotten. But … I think I’d rather have something, try even if it’s risky, than not have and wonder if we could have had more at the end of it. Or, if one of us does die, that we might have had anything at all.”

“Well said,” Ulaz replied before he smiled. “Then I accept your proposal, Shiro, if you’ll accept mine.”

Shiro’s eyes widened, and then a laugh slipped out of his lips.

“I feel like I just got engaged.”

“Engaged?”

“Uh, a committed relationship with the intention of marriage,” Shiro explained, and Ulaz smirked as he neared his paladin once more.

“Is this not the case? Or are we still at odds?”

Sensing his teasing tone, Shiro leaned back onto the bed and pulled Ulaz down on top of him before giving a smirk to match his own.

“We humans don’t usually enter directly into engagement.”

“Is that so?” Ulaz asked as he pressed a lingering kiss along the juncture of Shiro’s neck where the skin there was warm and enticing. “How is it usually?”

“Flirting. Dating,” Shiro sighed as he ran a hand up Ulaz’s back as he lifted his chin to expose more of his strong neck. The Galra had no idea what ‘dating’ was, but he was loath to remove his lips from Shiro’s skin as he continued to talk. “Commitment without the intention of marriage, which can progress into commitment with the intention of marriage.” The earthling shivered as Ulaz found a sensitive spot he quietly noted for later. “Then marriage.”

“I see,” Ulaz breathed, letting his fingers find soft skin at Shiro’s waist. “It’s not so different. I believe the Galra are merely more decisive. We know what we want. It could be argued among my kind that the time we’ve spent fighting together as partners would qualify as your ‘commitment without the intention of marriage’,” he let his teeth graze the paladin’s neck and enjoyed the satisfaction of feeling Shiro’s pulse race. “And I want you.”

A groan slipped from Shiro as a strong hand clamped along the back of Ulaz’s neck, holding him there. Ulaz chuckled.

“You’re not shy, are you?” Shiro said. “I have to say, when I came here, this was the last thing I expected.”

“I hope it is not something unwanted,” Ulaz teased, pulling away just enough so he could press his brow against Shiro’s. “And no. Galra are not shy with our lovers and potential mates, though we will not press further than is comfortable or wanted.”

Shiro smirked.

“And, uh, how far is comfortable or wanting for you?”

“Quite far,” Ulaz admitted with a look just as enticing. “You’ve been torturing me for months, after all. It’s not a good idea to be so coy with Galra.” He slid his fingers higher up Shiro’s torso, the touch just as slow as every one Shiro had ever given him. Just as telling. “You will need to tell me when to stop, but when you do, I will.”

A soft laugh swelled out of the paladin, but Ulaz’s sharp ears caught the faint hint of relief. With Shiro’s history as a gladiator and prisoner of the Galra Empire, the thing Ulaz most wanted to stress was Shiro’s right to be respected. How much his consent and trust mattered to Ulaz. He would never do anything to break it.

“Well, if that’s the case,” Shiro said as he lifted his arms high, lengthening all the powerful muscles of his body in a display which brought heat and desire back into Ulaz’s gaze. Enticed him in equal measures as the alluring smirk on his lover’s face. “Don’t stop.”

And Ulaz was pleased to oblige.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I tried to develop a Galran courtship framework which seemed believable and which Ulaz would likely adhere to. I hope it came off somewhat believable and that the reactions were enjoyable and fun!


	3. Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 3 - Stars: Ulaz wonders where Shiro is taking him, and why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's part three, I hope you enjoy!

Ulaz contained his curiosity at Shiro’s behest.

That wasn’t to say the Galra wasn’t gathering data and forming theories, however, and though he was certain Shiro would tell him if they were headed into battle or danger, the clues he’d gathered thus far had been … suggestive. Shiro had requested his presence alone and away from the other paladins and the castle. They’d equipped the Black Lion with food and provisions enough for a day and — though practical — they’d left equipped in armor and armed with weapons.

They’d traveled for several hours as it were, with Shiro’s calm voice and relaxed smile to keep Ulaz company, but until he understood where they were going and what it was Shiro intended they do, he would not lower his guard. It did not matter that they were in safe, Empire-free space, nor that the earthling seemed content enough in his own lax vigil.

But although Ulaz contained deep wells of patience, enough was enough. He wanted to know what his lover was up to. And he said as much to Shiro.

Shiro looked at him as if surprised.

“You mean, you really haven’t figured it out yet?”

“Should I have?” Ulaz asked, frowning as he reviewed all the evidence he’d collected. Was there something he had missed? Some pivotal bit of information which would explain all of this?

“Well, I thought you might have,” Shiro replied with a slight smile. “I wanted to spend some time alone with you, so I thought I’d take you on a date.”

Ulaz stared at his strange human blankly.

“A … date.” The Galra’s brow furrowed as he searched his memory. “I believe you’ve mentioned this briefly before.”

“Yeah, a date,” Shiro agreed, and Ulaz waited patiently for the paladin to translate another of his strange human sayings into something understandable. “It’s time spent alone with someone you’re interested in, to improve your relationship. It’s something romantic couples usually do with each other on Earth. Since we had some downtime and we haven’t been alone together like this since becoming a couple, I thought it would be nice. Or, is it something the Galra don’t do?”

A light look of caution edged Shiro’s eyes, but he need not have worried. Ulaz understood now, and all the tension he had kept in reserve in case this _had_ been a mission of some importance fell away. Instead, warmth built in his chest as everything came into focus.

“This is a courting ritual,” Ulaz clarified. “And yes, the Galra engage in them.” He paused, holding Shiro’s eyes steadily so he might see every emotion which would cross the human’s expressive face. “You’re properly courting me.”

The Galra watched with growing amusement as Shiro’s face blushed, and the paladin ran a gloved hand through his hair in a charmingly bashful motion.

“Uh, yeah. I guess that’s exactly what I’m doing.” Shiro’s eyes glanced at his. “You don’t mind, do you? I mean, we’ve been pretty intimate already since becoming a couple. I just thought it might be nice to get away from the others. Spend some time alone.”

“Yes,” Ulaz agreed with a growing smirk as he watched his paladin babble his explanation. “It is nice to get away with you. And I don’t mind. I’d intended to do so myself, though you’ve beaten me to it.”

Somehow the earthling’s blush deepened further. “You can still do that,” Shiro insisted. “There’s nothing wrong with both of us, uh, courting.”

“Of course not. Now, will you tell me where we are going, Shiro?”

“We’re here, actually,” the human said with a grin, drawing the Black Lion to a stop before shoving out of his seat and motioning for Ulaz to follow him toward the exit hatch, pulling on his helmet as he did. It was as clear a signal for Ulaz to seal his armor as well. Curiosity swelled within him. Why were they leaving the Black Lion in the middle of open space?

He received his answer when, after a moment of orientation, he and Shiro hung a few feet away from each other facing something awe-inspiring and fearsome. It was massive, large enough to force him to turn his head from one side to the other, up and down to find the ends of it. Particles so dense and so thick they lay trapped within a soft golden wall of debris, concentrated in random spots with brilliant light. It was a wonder he hadn’t noticed it on their approach. It was a wonder the Black Lion’s sensors hadn’t triggered warning alarms, though Ulaz supposed they were a safe enough distance away from the formation’s devastating gravity.

Although Shiro would not be able to see Ulaz’s eyes, Ulaz still looked at his lover in confusion.

“Why have you brought us here, Shiro?”

The ambient light cast off from the sight before them caused Shiro’s protective plating to all but glow in the darkness. The earthling was silent as he gazed forward, transfixed.

“I saw it once, a while ago,” Shiro said softly, his dark eyes gazing at the deadly monstrosity before them, glowing like a brilliant barrier within the black vacuum of space. “An imploded star cluster. On Earth, I used to read about space anomalies like these. They’re very rare. I never thought I’d see one for myself. Not in a million years.”

“You and your species should be thankful they are so far away and uncommon,” Ulaz said. “They are dangerous.”

“Oh, without a doubt,” Shiro said with a sudden grin. “But you have to admit. As dangerous as they are, they’re also bewitchingly beautiful. I thought you might like to see it.”

Ulaz stared at the Black Paladin, former Champion of Zarkon’s arena, and could not help but think him peculiar. This was a being who had seen true horrors. Who had endured hardships which had broken and killed those lesser and weaker than he. He suffered from those traumas on a daily basis, and there were days when it was all Shiro could do to leave his room. Ulaz knew.

And yet, Shiro smiled. His eyes held a firm but kind light. He still stood strong and just, a worthy leader above many despite the weight of the task thrust upon him.

Shiro still hoped, despite the pain and darkness of his past. And somehow, more impressively, he was still able to see beauty in the world when Ulaz himself saw nothing but a cruel reality. An existence he must face and combat often so others better than he could see that beauty where he could not.

Ulaz let his eyes linger on his paladin for a moment longer before he gazed at the imploded star cluster. Already his analytical mind brought forth explanations of how such an entity came into being. The conditions which might have created it. Why it was this color and not another. The crushing gravity which would rip them apart if they ventured too near.

But slowly, ever so slowly, he let his mind relax upon the almost inviting glow of the formation. The sporadic glitter and shine of trapped energy reaching through the clouded fog. The concentric swirls where gravity gathered and tantalized the eye within the peaceful silence which bore them.

A wry smile curved the edge of Ulaz’s lips.

“Yes,” Ulaz quietly agreed, a gentle warmth slipping through his chest at even a glimpse of what Shiro might see with his own eyes. What Shiro had helped him see for himself. His strange, remarkable human. “I suppose it is quite beautiful.”

And they hung there together above the Black Lion, bathed in the peace and beauty of something otherwise monstrous, and Ulaz couldn’t help but think Shiro’s courting ritual — his date — was turning out to be most successful indeed.


	4. Amnesia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 4 - Amnesia: Shiro is triggered into a berserker rage and Ulaz must figure out a way to stop him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right, an angsty chapter with issues of trauma and PTSD on Shiro's part, but it ends on a tender moment. Just a heads up. I hope you enjoy!

Ulaz was studying the cryo-replenishers in the medical wing of the Castle of Lions – ensuring they were in proper working order as he conducted an inventory check – when Lance’s voice burst through the comms.

“Ulaz!” the Blue Paladin shouted, causing the Galra to straighten into battle-ready awareness. “Ulaz come quick. We need your help!”

“Where are you?” Ulaz said quickly, closing the inventory list and moving at a run. “What’s happening?”

“Training deck!” Lance shouted again. In the background, sounds of intense combat were underway, and Ulaz could hear Pidge and Hunk screaming as well. Just then the sound of Shiro’s battle cry filled the comm, and Lance screeched in a way which suggested he was under attack. “It’s Shiro!”

Dread filled Ulaz, and it was all he could do to remain focused and not jump to conclusions. He wanted to demand answers, gather information, but the comm abruptly cut off to leave him in a void of confusion.

When he arrived in the observation deck, the situation was worse than he’d anticipated. And it was worse because it was a vision right out of Zarkon’s arena.

Blue, green, and yellow blurs fought and dodged and yelled frantically at the black one which attacked with a mindless fury Ulaz hadn’t witnessed in some time. Instantly he activated the comms.

“Get out!” Ulaz ordered. “Engaging him will only make his condition worse.” He activated a set of training robots to distract Shiro. “Go!”

Pidge and Hunk were quick to make their exit, but Lance appeared to have more trouble pulling away than the other two, his face filled with concentration and a rare sneer Ulaz had never seen before. It was only once the other paladins had yelled at him that Lance finally tore away as the robots engaged Shiro. Shiro didn’t appear to notice the change in opponents. Instead, his arm was a violet blur which tore through them with vicious ferocity.

It made Ulaz’s heart sink to see his paladin like this.

Footsteps pounded in the hallway moments before the door whispered open and the others stormed in, words loud in confusion and anger and panic. Ulaz had to force his voice uncharacteristically loud to break through their verbal chaos.

“What happened?” Ulaz demanded.

“I don’t know,” Hunk said, face pinched with uncertainty. “Shiro was training with Pidge when Lance and I came in to show them something we found while we were out on patrol. We were kind of just goofing around when one of these berries popped on Shiro and he, well—”

“He lost his mind!” Lance shouted, agitation sliding across his expressive face. “Shiro just started attacking, and he wouldn’t respond!”

“Let me see one of your berries,” Ulaz said, suspicions already building in his mind. Hunk reached into his pocket and deposited a plump, yellow berry roughly the size of his palm and soft with ripeness. Carefully, he took a quick sniff and felt the telling rush of hot anger burn down his spine before fading reluctantly away. He jerked his nose to the side, frowning with understanding.

“This is a Vill berry,” Ulaz said.

“What’s a Vill berry?” Pidge asked, falling back on knowledge and intellect as her way of dealing with the difficult situation at hand.

“A dangerous plant, and one which Shiro should not have been exposed to under any circumstance,” Ulaz said as calmly as possible while his mind raced to piece together a plan. “In Zarkon’s arena, fighters were sometimes sprayed with a chemical compound designed to induce a berserker frenzy, to ensure the battles would be more violent and visceral. As Champion, Shiro was exposed to it more often than most. To see if he could survive the fury and win the battle while his mind was overcome.”

Hunk’s face pulled with horror, but a hard look filled his eyes. “Okay, awful. But what does this have to do with these Vill berries?”

Even as he asked his question, Pidge’s face scrunched up before her skin paled.

“The berserker compound was derived from these berries, wasn’t it?”

Ulaz nodded. “Under normal circumstances, one of these would not be enough to incite much more than irritability.”

“Then why is Shiro like this?” demanded Lance, face filled with poorly kept irritation Ulaz was particularly aware of. “And how do we stop him?”

“My theory is that something about the berries triggered his battle rage.”

Pidge took her chin between her fingers. “Did the compound used on the gladiators still smell like this plant?”

“Yes.”

Pidge’s lips pressed thin. “Then it’s possible Shiro has a conditioned response to the scent of it. That’s why he’s behaving this way when the berry in its basic form shouldn’t do much of anything.”

Ulaz nodded in agreement. “What is worse is that the chemical was documented to have an above average effect on him, which was theorized to be a result of biological sensitivities. It affects earthlings more strongly than others, and given his history … he’s susceptible.”

The small paladin’s face twisted. “I wonder if he even knew.”

“It doesn’t seem likely,” Ulaz said. “Given his amnesia, it’s possible he forgot the frenzies entirely.”

“Then what do we do?” Lance pressed again, his temper rising higher. “He can’t stay like this. We have to do something!”

Ulaz did not disagree, but it was a delicate matter. On the display where he’d immediately accessed Shiro’s vitals, he noticed they were climbing the longer he raged. The air in the room could be ventilated, but the problem was that the berry appeared to be smeared on his armor. Shiro needed to be sedated and decontaminated, but someone would need to get close enough to administer the sedative.

And given Shiro’s state, such an attempt could prove fatal.

He began digging in the emergency medical pack tucked away in the observation deck and withdrew two sedative applicators. He tucked them into his pouch, moving quickly as he spoke.

“Shiro needs to be sedated, and soon.” He withdrew his blade, focusing his mind on the upcoming battle he would have to engage with his lover. “I am the only one who has a chance of administering it successfully. The rest of you must remain here.”

“What?” Lance said in outrage. “No! Do you see how he is right now? It was all we could do to keep him off us, and there were three of us! He can’t even tell who he’s fighting. You need backup!”

“I _know_ how he is,” Ulaz said firmly, his voice low as the deep wells of his emotions trembled. He glared at the Blue Paladin. “I, more than any of you, know how he is. I have seen him in these furies. I was there when he fought in the arena. I have seen what he can do and how it affects him. I _know_.”

Hunk’s face fell and Pidge’s lips turned white with the pressure. Lance seemed slightly taken aback, and the Galra forced calm back into his voice, despite his deep concern for Shiro. 

“You are right. Backup would be helpful, but none of you can safely do this. You are human, and further exposure could send any of you into a rage. Lance is already exhibiting the effects simply from what little contact he shared with Shiro earlier.”

“There’s nothing wrong with me,” Lance growled, teeth bared, eyes burning with the growing fire Ulaz had witnessed many times in the bowels of Zarkon’s arena. Hunk clapped a massive hand on the Blue Paladin’s shoulder.

“Sorry Lance, but he’s right. You’re not yourself.”

Lance snarled, shrugging Hunk off. “You’re wrong! I’ll go in there, and I’m going to fight him—!”

“Are you listening to yourself?” Pidge snapped, shoving Lance’s chest with fierce eyes. “You shouldn’t want to fight him at all! You should want to help Ulaz and restrain him!”

Lance bared his teeth, then paused mid-action, a faint light of reason returning. He blinked rapidly, his breathing elevated, but managed to find some control.

“Okay,” he said tightly. “Okay, you’re right. I’m not myself. But I’m not leaving.”

Ulaz nodded before activating his suit’s mask. “Monitor the situation from up here. If possible, locate Coran or Princess Allura. They might know of something which could nullify the effects.”

“On it!” Hunk said, bolting out of the room. Ulaz followed, pausing at the training deck’s doors. Beyond, he could hear the sound of Shiro’s wrath. The paladin had already torn through the robots he’d deployed. It would be nothing but the two of them.

Ulaz entered and quickly threw himself to the side to avoid Shiro’s deadly arm. The air hissed with the sound of the prosthetic as it whipped around to corner him again, a mindless snarl on Shiro’s face, and instinctively Ulaz lifted his blade to ward the paladin off. He didn’t want to hurt Shiro, but if he was not at his best, he would not survive. And once the frenzy lifted, Ulaz knew Shiro would never be able to forgive himself for anything he’d done under the fury’s influence. Ulaz would need every advantage he had.

But this single-minded rage, the intensity of it, was distressing. He needed to end this quickly, for both their sakes.

The clang of his blade against the metal of Shiro’s arm filled the air as the impromptu battle escalated, keeping Ulaz primarily on the defensive. He was searching for an opening, a non-lethal opening, but Shiro’s time in the arena and his tenure as leader of Voltron ensured his combat prowess was well-earned.

His first attempt to sedate Shiro ended in failure as the paladin arched out of the way at the last moment before brutally knocking it out of his hand and causing the applicator to shatter. The recoil Ulaz endured was just enough of an opening for Shiro to gain the upper hand as he roared and caught the Blade with a powerful hook from his human arm.

The world flashed white as pain blinded him and left him disoriented, but Ulaz’s training got him away almost purely by muscle memory. He recovered, but not before having to dodge another battery of punches just as devastating as the last had been.

Above, Lance and Pidge did what they could to provide support. They deployed another robot Shiro quickly destroyed, and Pidge attempted to trap Shiro in an invisible box, but the human managed to evade it. The berserker rage aided him, gifted him with greater strength and speed, but it was taking its toll. Shiro’s body shook terribly, and he heaved with the effort to keep up with the frenzy. It was wearing him out, and Ulaz had seen gladiators die from exhaustion long before the Vill wore off.

That was the last thing he wanted for Shiro, but he was running out of ideas and energy and time. Something would have to give.

And as it was, it was him.

Ulaz grunted as Shiro tackled him to the ground where they grappled and snarled at each other like beasts.

“Shiro!” Ulaz yelled, jerking his head to the side as a metal fist plowed into the floor where he would have been. “Shiro, listen to me!”

He knew it was impossible. The berserker haze was too thick to break through in most cases, and he doubted the familiar sound of his voice would be enough when three of his fellow paladins hadn’t succeeded. It would not even matter that they were lovers, but still, he had to try.

Shiro roared, irises pin-pricked and body slicked with sweat as Ulaz’s voice rolled off him without effect. The prosthetic burned where Shiro clenched Ulaz’s armor, and the compact weight on his chest made the Galra wheeze. He was running out of options. Through the comms he could hear the others shouting warnings, telling him to fight back.

All Ulaz did was deactivate his mask.

“Shiro!” he said again, this time face-to-face. At some point the human’s helmet had been lost in his fury, and all Shiro did was bare his teeth at him and scream. A fist made Ulaz see white again, but the Galra bore it as best he could as his hand reached for the second applicator. He’d only have this chance left. He needed to distract Shiro just a little longer.

Ulaz bucked, shifting his hips while at the same time thrusting his head upward to smash it against Shiro’s. It had the desired effect of stunning him, but he had not anticipated a quick recovery, nor had he anticipated Shiro returning the gesture for double the effect when Ulaz’s head slammed against the ground too.

His vision swam and disorientation set in. He waited for Shiro to take the opening. To exploit his weakness. Ulaz would come away badly wounded, if he survived, and Shiro would be devastated once he came out of this. If the paladin survived as well. Ulaz kept waiting for the painful flash of agony Shiro’s prosthetic could inflict. He waited as his heart ached for his lover, and guilt filled him for failing to break through.

Yet, as the ticks ticked by, nothing happened. Ulaz’s vision settled again, and he was surprised to find that Shiro remained crouched over him, breathing heavily with exhaustion. But instead of mindless fury, there was a touch of panic there instead. Of the faintest flicker of reason, and Shiro’s desperate need to clutch to it.

Ulaz tried one more time.

“Shiro.”

A violent tremor rolled through Shiro’s body before he abruptly dropped and huddled close. The sudden, unexpected motion startled Ulaz into stillness, and he tensed as Shiro pressed his face against the vulnerable expanse of his furred neck, breath hot and humid there as the paladin sucked in deep, desperate heaves of air. Powerful hands clenched at Ulaz’s body, and a faint ringing sang in the Galra’s ears as if from far away, silencing everything.

But he still heard Shiro’s voice despite it.

“Ulaz?”

A cold shard of relief shot through Ulaz, but no matter how relieved he was by this sudden and unexpected development, he knew better than to let his guard down. Shiro had somehow broken through the rage, but that did not mean it couldn’t be triggered again. So, as Shiro remained immovable above him, Ulaz slowly moved his arms, touching the paladin in ways which had always soothed him when he was stressed and they were alone.

It seemed to be working.

“Shh,” Ulaz breathed against Shiro’s trembling form. “I need you to trust me. You’re reacting to a chemical compound. I’m going to sedate you.”

“Did I hurt anyone?”

Ulaz’s chest squeezed at the desperate whisper as Shiro held him tighter. Unable to stop himself, he cupped the back of the Black Paladin’s head and held him back, providing what comfort he could as he ached for his gentle-hearted lover.

“You did not.”

A sob of relief burst out of Shiro, even as his muscles jumped and tensed and his fists clenched Ulaz hard enough to leave deep bruises. The fury was rising again, Ulaz could smell it, and with smooth motions he pressed the sedative’s applicator against Shiro’s thigh and administered it.

“I couldn’t stop myself,” Shiro confessed, his words thick and choppy and broken against the short fur of Ulaz’s neck. “I couldn’t—”

“Shh,” Ulaz said again, his voice quiet and soothing. “I know.”

Shiro wilted against him, his heavy body losing all its feral strength goal at once as the sedative took effect. As Ulaz caught him, Shiro’s pained grimace relaxed before he dropped off into unconsciousness.

* * *

 

It was several hours later in the sanctuary of their room when Shiro finally woke. Ulaz had been sitting on the floor beside their bed, keeping vigil and monitoring Shiro’s progress, occasionally giving the rest of the castle an update concerning the Black Paladin’s recovery. He’d been meditating when the change in Shiro’s breathing pattern had caught his attention, and he opened his eyes in time to catch Shiro’s flutter blearily into wakefulness.

Shiro groaned, and Ulaz reached for the glass of water on the counter.

“Here,” he said, easing Shiro into a sitting position, one which the human didn’t fight. He gratefully took the glass and sipped it before handing it back, only so he could lean against the Galra who’d taken a seat on the mattress beside him.

“I feel terrible, Ulaz.”

Ulaz ran his fingers through Shiro’s hair with gentle care, causing Shiro to sigh.

“That is the lingering effect of the Vill berries,” he explained. “It will fade.”

An arm curled around Ulaz’s waist, shameless and honest. “I … I did something,” Shiro said slowly. “I don’t remember a whole lot. I remember Hunk, and I remember him and Lance tossing around this yellow ball, and they accidentally threw it at me. And then—” Shiro’s words tightened, along with his hold. He pressed his brow more firmly against Ulaz’s shoulder. “And then I got so _angry_. It was like I was drowning in fire, burning with it, and I couldn’t stop seeing Zarkon’s arena. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t do anything except fight as if my life depended on it.”

“It did, once,” Ulaz said. “This wasn’t the first time you’ve experience induced berserker rage.”

Shiro swallowed. “I … I hadn’t thought so. I couldn’t quite remember it, but the _sensation_ — like I was burning alive and fighting for my life — felt familiar. That smell—” The earthling shivered. “It just hit me like a battering ram. I couldn’t stop it. I wanted to destroy everything.”

“But you didn’t,” Ulaz insisted, nuzzling the top of Shiro’s head. “No one was injured.”

“Except you.”

“Nothing that won’t heal.” He pulled away so he could look Shiro in the eyes. “And I would endure worse if it would have helped you.”

A pained look warred on Shiro’s face before his head dipped back down and he pressed his face against Ulaz’s neck.

“You did enough,” Shiro said quietly. “After all, it was you who broke me out of it.”

Ulaz stared at Shiro’s form, confused, and Shiro gave him a faint chuckle.

“You pulled me out of it,” Shiro said again with a sigh. “There was nothing there to hold onto in the rage, but then I smelled you. Your scent, it cut through the fog and the fire long enough for me to get back to myself.” The paladin breathed, and this time Ulaz was so much more aware of _why_ Shiro had his nose pressed to his neck. Had, practically since he’d woken up again. “I couldn’t make sense of anything, but I knew you were there.”

“I see,” Ulaz said, silently amazed by this revelation. He had not thought he’d stood any more of a chance breaking through Shiro’s fury than anyone else, even despite their intimate relationship.

The fact that his scent alone brought Shiro back to his senses made his heart both warm and ache.

“You don’t mind, do you?” Shiro whispered, his hold on Ulaz tightening as his body began to tremble. “I still feel a little out of it, like I might fly away. Your scent is grounding, and I-I just—”

“I don’t mind,” Ulaz said, maneuvering himself into a position which would make it easier for Shiro to relax as he drew him close. “Scent is a powerful sensation, closely tied to memory and emotion.” He pressed his nose into Shiro’s hair, breathing in the human’s slight but distinguishable musk and the clean scent he now boasted after being decontaminated while he slept. “It means a great deal to me that mine has such meaning for you. That you trust me so much.”

Shiro’s voice was barely audible. “You have no idea how much, Ulaz.”

Ulaz suspected Shiro was right, and the sheer possibility moved him more than words could ever begin to express. And so he let Shiro breathe him in like a lifeline, and Ulaz could not help but do the same.


	5. AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 5 - AU: Shiro has a secret, one he's finally letting Ulaz in on much to Ulaz's surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Although this is supposed to be an AU, I wanted the overarching story to be consistent so I took the AU prompt more as a starting point and just did my own thing. After all, this who story might as well be an Ulaz Lives!AU, so I don't feel too bad about deviating. This one could have also doubled as the scars prompt, but I have something else planned for that and I didn't want to give this story up. I hope you enjoy!

“Come on,” Shiro said with half a smirk. “You’ve been wondering where I go in the middle of the night. Come find out.”

Ulaz lifted his eyes from the report he’d been reviewing concerning suspected Galran movements several star systems away and considered the earthling. It was very late and the rest of the castle and its inhabitants were sleeping, yet Shiro remained alert though he should have been sleeping as well. He held a small bag in his hand.

And Ulaz’s curiosity got the better of him.

Since they’d become lovers, he’d had plenty of opportunities to study Shiro’s habits, and generally they weren’t altogether unexpected or surprising. Shiro was a straightforward and honest person, and so his actions and decisions rarely held an ulterior motive, let alone one which would harm another with cruel intentions. The other human paladins were often much harder and more confusing to understand than Shiro was.

But that did not mean the Black Paladin never surprised him. There was mystery behind the transparent front he showed the rest of the world, and when it was just the two of them, that veil occasionally dropped. And when it did, Ulaz would have no idea what was going through Shiro’s mind. No answer as to why he did what he did.

Such as leave their room in the middle of the night, only to return some time later freshly cleaned and exhausted enough to drop straight into sleep beside him.

Had he been less confident in Shiro’s affections, he’d have wondered. But he knew Shiro and doubted he’d be unfaithful, and though the curiosity sometimes prodded him needlessly, he trusted the human. Shiro was allowed to keep his secrets, as he was himself.

But it did not mean he would pass up this opportunity. He placed his report down, forgetting it as he gave Shiro his complete attention.

“Where are we going?”

“Not far. It’s in the castle,” Shiro replied, side-stepping the question. “And don’t worry. You won’t need anything.” He lifted the strap of his bag. “I’ve got everything we’ll need.”

“You are always leaving me in suspense,” Ulaz said as he followed his lover out of their room and down the long castle hallways. “This is a trend with you, isn’t it?”

“Maybe,” he replied with a smile. “I’m not really one for too much drama, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like to surprise you.”

Ulaz gave Shiro an amused sidelong look, but said nothing as they continued along. If surprising Ulaz was one of the ways Shiro found pleasure and happiness, Ulaz was more than content to let him have it. Particularly when the surprises appeared to lead to quality time with him.

Though this time when Shiro led him to the Altean swimming pool, Ulaz had to say he was beyond surprised.

“You come here,” he said, putting the pieces together in his mind. “You swim?”

“That’s right. Not as interesting as you thought, is it?” Shiro dropped his bag on a chair, removing a couple of towels before pulling off his vest and shirt. “Sometimes I just need to move, but I’m not like Keith. The training deck is great, but … well, I don’t always want to fight. So, I do laps.”

“I never knew you swam,” the Galra muttered as he watched his human strip with quiet interest. “None of the others said anything.”

“They wouldn’t,” Shiro said with a shrug. “They don’t know I swim. At least, I think they don’t. I’m pretty sure you’re the only one who knows I leave in the middle of the night at all.”

“You’re hiding it from them?”

“I wouldn’t say I’m hiding it from them,” Shiro said. “Just … I don’t know. I guess I’m a little self-conscious.”

“I don’t understand why,” Ulaz replied curiously. “I can see nothing about you that you should be shy for.” This was a fact as far as he was concerned. Shiro was Shiro, and when Ulaz stared at him, he found no glaring flaws. Surely nothing Shiro should be self-conscious about.

“Well, there are a lot of reasons for that,” Shiro said with a laugh. “I mean, we’re in a relationship, and we’re sleeping together. Not to mention you’ve literally seen me at my worst when I was in the arena. There’s not much I can be shy about with you.”

“Then what are your concerns with the others?”

The amusement which had lifted in Shiro softened. “They’d stare. Even if they wouldn’t mean to. And I’d see their pity, even if they thought they could hide it.”

Ulaz studied his lover until he was clad in nothing more than a pair of shorts, and reasoned his way to understanding, even if his eyes still found no flaws. As the physician for the Paladins of Voltron, he’d seen most of them without their clothing at one point or another, and he’d always been struck by how … unmarked the others were. Soft. Smooth. Strong, of course, but … unmarred.

He’d personally found it strange. Galran children rarely left adolescence without having earned at least one visible scar. It was normal and to be expected of their violent race. Scars were symbols. Things more of pride than shame.

And perhaps that was why he’d never thought much of Shiro’s scars. The thick silvery lines that crossed his body. The loss of his arm. That was Shiro. They proved he was strong and a survivor. Ulaz could think of him no other way.

But perhaps the other earthlings would. And Shiro’s comment concerning any pity they might send his way might be well-founded, given the lingering looks Ulaz sometimes witnessed the other paladins edge Shiro’s way.

“You have nothing to hide,” Ulaz said after a moment. “Nor do you have anything to be ashamed of.”

A brilliant smile crossed Shiro’s face. “And that’s why you’re here and they’re not. Well, one of the reasons anyway.”

The human moved to a platform below the glittering waters where the pool defied gravity, and Ulaz watched Shiro’s lean muscles flex as he jumped with his hands pointed upward. The next instant he was soaring through the air, gravity changing so he dove into the water with a gentle splash.

Ulaz craned his head back, tracking the human as he moved just below the surface, a striking creature in black with pale skin. When Shiro surfaced, bursting out of the water, he grinned down at him.

“Come on,” Shiro said. “Swim with me. Or don’t you swim?”

“I can swim,” Ulaz said though his ears dipped slightly. “I simply prefer not to.”

“So, you’re going to stand there and watch me swim all on my own,” Shiro teased. “When you could be in the water with me?”

A reluctant smirk pulled at Ulaz’s lips. Ah, his lover always knew exactly how to tempt him, even with things he did not particularly enjoy. Which was why he pulled his armor off with perfunctory motions before stepping onto the platform and jumping.

The water consumed him as gravity shifted, and the press of it as it sunk into his fur was chilly and startling. It had been some time since he’d swum in water like this, but it didn’t stop him from flipping and easing his way through the silent depths toward Shiro’s wavering form. When he surfaced the water, he did it more quietly and with little fanfare. The world was a blur as he swept his hands over his face and along his scalp, wiping the water away as best he could.

He found Shiro staring.

“What is it?” he asked now that the water was cleared from his eyes.

“It’s nothing, really,” Shiro replied, drifting through the water like a weightless wraith. Ulaz’s eyes narrowed.

“Your smile suggests otherwise.”

Shiro chuckled and glanced away.

“I was just admiring you. You looked beautiful. Graceful. Otherworldly,” the human admitted. “Like something out of a fairy tale. A mermaid — or man, I guess — just without a tail.”

“Mermaid?” Ulaz prompted.

“For humans it would be a half-human, half-fish creature. They’re beautiful and they can breathe underwater.”

“I am neither of these things.”

Again Shiro laughed, his eyes bright as he held Ulaz’s. “Of course you’re not. But under the water, you seem like some mythical creature out of a story.”

Ulaz chuckled at his human’s comparison. “I can assure you that even among the Galra, I am not talented in the water. Certainly unworthy of the distinction of myth.”

“And yet I’m sure I could watch you swim all day if you’d let me.”

Shiro shifted closer so he could slip his arms around Ulaz’s damp shoulders. Despite Shiro’s weight, the water did more than enough to buoy him, and he couldn’t help but slip his fingers around Shiro’s waist. Drag them both into deeper waters until only Ulaz’s feet touched the ground. The human’s legs lightly brushed his.

Shiro smiled. “This is nice, being upright and level with you. Like this, it’s almost easy to forget how tall you are.”

Ulaz hummed as he pressed his brow against Shiro’s, letting the quiet settled between them. It wasn’t long however before he slid his fingers along Shiro’s slick waist, savoring the feel of him like this. Though he wasn’t fond of the water, there was something to be said about how it made Shiro distinctly touchable. As his fingers grazed a soft spot along the human’s belly, Shiro jerked slightly. Ulaz smirked.

“You know, maybe you’re not like a mermaid,” Shiro amended as the space between them dwindled, and only the sound of their hushed voices and the gentle lap of water against the walls colored the world. “You might be a siren instead.”

“And what is special about these creatures?” Ulaz asked, though his eyes remained fixed on Shiro’s lips.

“In the stories, they’re supposed to sing and lure sailors away to their deaths. Bewitch them, until it’s too late.”

“Have I tempted you to your death?” Ulaz asked.

“You’ve tempted me into something, that’s for sure.”

Ulaz hummed low in his throat again as he pressed his face into Shiro’s neck, holding him close. He was warm, and though the damp, moist air of the pool obscured Shiro’s natural scent, it was enough to hold the human like this. To curl around him in semi-weightlessness and let Shiro do the same as all his tight, powerful muscles slowly relaxed as they shared the peaceful silence.

Then Shiro’s hand began sliding tellingly down the long line of Ulaz’s back, and anticipation filled Ulaz. He knew this game. He liked this game, and he certainly wasn’t opposed to it in the slightest, even in the water.

Ulaz lifted his head and held the human’s eyes intently.

“Of the two of us, I do not believe I am the siren, Shiro.”

“Yeah? Why’s that?”

Shiro smirked, clearly aware of what Ulaz meant. But Ulaz was happy to play his human’s game, and he pulled Shiro fully against him, chasing the chill of the water away with Shiro’s warmth. The motion elicited a lightning strike of heat through his body, one he saw mirrored in Shiro’s dark eyes.

“Who else could tempt me as much as you?”

Ulaz leaned closer, a hairs width away from Shiro’s lips when abruptly Shiro slid out of his arms and in a flurry of shifting water was several feet away and smiling daringly at him.

“You didn’t think it would be that easy, did you? We only just got in the water.” Shiro grinned. “If you want me, Ulaz, come and catch me.”

Shiro drifted further away, and Ulaz found he was already following. How could he not?

“Oh,” Ulaz said with amusement. “You shouldn’t challenge a Galra like that.”

“Well, I am,” Shiro replied. Then his voice dropped in that way that always made Ulaz burn. “What are you going to do about it?”

Ulaz chuckled, but instead of replying he simply sunk under the water and vowed to do a great many things as he let the little game of chase with the siren of his life begin.


	6. Bed Sharing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 6 - Bed Sharing: Shiro's away on mission and Ulaz waits for him to return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short but tender. I hope you enjoy!

The Voltron Paladins had been away on missions for extended periods of time before. And it wasn’t the first time Ulaz had remained behind in the Castle of Lions with Coran as they worked together to keep the ship battle-ready should they need it.

But it did not mean Ulaz missed Shiro any less.

The halls of the Altean ship were quiet without his lover, though he had to admit the times the paladins were away were also the times when he was most productive given the drastic decrease in distraction. Despite the backlog, his work never lasted and it was never long before he began training in the training deck alone, eating his meals alone, studying the intel the Blade of Marmora had sent him with Coran before he returned to his and Shiro’s room. Alone.

Over the many long years, Ulaz had become familiar with the quiet. With emptiness. Solitude. But there was a distinct void where Shiro should have been, as if the human had somehow imprinted himself in the fabric of Ulaz’s reality. With their easy intimacy and trusted understanding, their courting and the potential of more once the war was over, perhaps that was the case.

At the very least, their bed was emptiest of all, and although it was foolish, he thought of Shiro as he fell asleep every night. Hoped for his wellbeing and the success of their mission while also craving his return. This time Shiro wasn’t expected to return for several days more. He would have to find other ways of occupying his time until then.

That’s what made the sound of the bedroom door opening unexpectedly draw him straight from the darkness of sleep into rapid, stinging awareness.

Ulaz’s ears twitched and his body tensed in preparation for an attack before his mind was even fully awake. But the scent in the air cut through his well-trained responses, and he relaxed and rolled onto his other side as the door to their room closed behind Shiro, dropping them into gentle darkness. Shiro sighed, and with it the solid line of his shoulders slumped. He was no longer the leader and Black Paladin of Voltron, but a weary man worked relentlessly. He pulled his helmet off and placed it on the table, clearly attempting to be as silent as possible.

“You’re back sooner than expected,” Ulaz said, and Shiro froze before sighing again and giving him a tired smile the earthling knew he could see even in the dark.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” Shiro said as he continued to pull off the plates of his armor, this time with quicker motions and less regard for the silence. “And yeah, we just got back. The mission was over sooner than expected when Lance and Keith accidentally caught the attention of a Galra battlecruiser. We managed to fight it off and escape without any injuries, but let’s just say—”

“It was Lance and Keith being themselves,” Ulaz finished, making room for Shiro in the bed as the paladin stripped out of his base layer until all he wore was his undergarment. “And it was taxing.”

“More so than usual,” Shiro agreed. “Needless to say, I’m glad to be back.”

Shiro slipped under the sheet, the bulk of his muscles shifting under scarred flesh, and he wasted no time settling against Ulaz’s chest when the Galra lifted his arm. Shiro’s heavy prosthetic slung low over Ulaz’s waist, and the paladin’s breath was warm against his short fur.

“I’m so glad to be back.”

Ulaz nuzzled the top of Shiro’s head gently, the way he knew soothed the paladin and made his tense muscles relax. He pressed his fingers into Shiro’s back and kneaded in a slow rhythm before smoothing his hands along warm skin and around his body, holding him tight. Together they breathed each other in, and though the faint odor of sweat clung to the paladin from his mission, it lacked the fear and the stress which had always permeated Shiro’s scent when he was the Champion of Zarkon’s arena. In its place were only fatigue and immense relief.

Only Shiro could be so good and so honest, despite so much horror and pain.

Ulaz’s heart squeezed as he held Shiro tight. He would never regret freeing Shiro. Choosing him over everything. Watching the biggest gamble of his life pay off.

In more ways than one.

“I’m relieved you are unharmed,” Ulaz said, his voice rumbling and low in his chest, a quality he’d found Shiro appreciated. “It was quiet without you.”

“I missed you too.”

Ulaz hummed low — or purred, as Shiro always insisted was the case — and the effect was immediate. What lingering stress hiding deep in the paladin’s muscles eased away as the quiet of the room and the shared heat between them enveloped them in a cocoon of safety and care. Outside with his sharper ears, Ulaz could hear the others come and go from their quarters but they never ventured near, and in time even those sounds faded away.

The universe fell silent for Shiro as he slipped into the depths of sleep, curled against Ulaz like the only right in the paladin’s burdened world. Ulaz closed his eyes and pressed his face against Shiro’s brow, and hoped it would continue to leave his human be for as long as possible.


	7. Scars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 7 - Scars: Ulaz counts Shiro's scars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final day and final prompt. It's been so much fun writing Ulaz and Shiro, they're such a great, wholesome ship. Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed all the stories so far and that you'll enjoy this one as well. Thanks for reading!

“Thirty-nine.”

Ulaz hummed softly, the sound a deep purr he knew Shiro enjoyed. As he’d expected, the Black Paladin’s body relaxed further, the muscles under his gaze smoothing out under battle-toughened skin. With a gentle caress of a finger, Ulaz followed the length of an old scar as it crossed the slope of Shiro’s shoulder. He felt the human shiver, and it was difficult not to be tempted by the open display.

Not that he thought Shiro would mind in the least.

“Are you sure?” Ulaz inquired. “I’ve been over your body thoroughly. I’ve counted only thirty-eight.”

That had been the sum number of scars marring Shiro’s body, and given the number of times he had stroked them, pressed his lips to them, left hot, pleasurable trails over them in an effort to replace painful memories with pleasant ones, he would know. Around his thighs, along his waist, over his shoulder and down the flesh arm that remained. Across the bridge of his nose. Thirty-eight.

“No,” Shiro insisted with a smile as he peered over his shoulder at Ulaz. “Thirty-nine.”

“You’re mistaken.” The challenge was gentle. Not an accusation of wrongness, but an invitation for the earthling to correct him. Shiro’s smile edged with amusement before he settled his head back on his crossed arms where he lay on his front.

“All right, you’re right. There are thirty-eight scars on my body,” Shiro admitted. “But scars don’t only form on skin and muscle, you know.”

Ah. Ulaz understood, and he couldn’t help but be impressed by his paladin’s unexpected abstraction, even if it caused a shadow to fall ever so slightly over them.

“Your mind,” Ulaz stated. “Your memories?”

A chuckle rolled out of Shiro, causing the wide expanse of skin and muscle to dance in the dim lighting.

“Leave it to you to figure it out on the first shot,” Shiro said before his temperament cooled. “But yeah. The unseen scar. My memories. The pain I’ve endured. All of it. I just think of it as one giant scar on my mind.” He quieted again. “One that doesn’t heal. Not like the rest of them.”

“Psychological trauma is often deep and persistent,” Ulaz said slowly. “But that does not mean it is incapable of healing. Are you certain it is not?”

Shiro rolled a massive shoulder.

“To be fair, more of my memories _have_ returned.” Shiro’s voice softened. “I don’t freeze as long when the memories I _do_ have attack me. My night terrors aren’t as bad.”

Ulaz, for one, could attest to that. Not long after their relationship had taken more physical paths, Shiro’s night terrors would sometimes require that the Galra leave the bed and their room — sometimes for the night — when the nightmares were too strong for Shiro to ignore Ulaz’s yellow eyes. He did not blame the paladin. He’d never blame him. But at Shiro’s behest and ever stubborn persistence, they’d worked to find ways to confront and handle the terrors, and Shiro’s quality of sleep had improved, though there were still nights he woke screaming.

But Ulaz hadn’t had to leave his side in quite some time.

“You of all people know progress takes time,” Ulaz said gently. “You show such patience with everyone and everything else. You should do the same for yourself, Shiro.”

Shiro snorted, an edge of sardonic, self-depreciating amusement slipping into the sound. The first time Ulaz had heard it, it had surprised him. Shiro, with all of his pure kindness, understanding, and battered light, hid his darker thoughts so well from everyone else. To find even the thinnest vein of it within the Black Paladin had been almost shocking, but not unwarranted. Not after everything he’d experienced.

“It’s different when it’s me,” Shiro said. “None of the others have had to go through what I’ve gone through. Do what I’ve done. Bear the weight. They’re all innocent in so many ways. Good ways.” His words dried up for a moment before he found them again. “They deserve time and patience. All the time and patience they can afford. I don’t. I can’t.”

“That’s not true.” Ulaz smoothed a palm along Shiro’s bare back. Let the gentle quiet of their room slip deep into his paladin’s mind. “You deserve time and patience most of all, for everything you have done, and everything you are doing. I will continue to tell you this until you believe me.” The pads of his fingers pressed soothing lines into Shiro’s muscles, easing the stress away. “And I will do my best to give it to you.”

Shiro lay silent as Ulaz continued the slow massage, tracing every muscle and naming them within the sanctuary of his mind. His work had the effect he’d hoped for, and as the ticks passed peacefully by, the dark tinge within Shiro seemed to abate. Soon Shiro could do little more than groan and sigh, and he stopped only when a soft chuckle slipped out of the earthling.

Ulaz’s ears twitched in question, and Shiro gave him a lazy smile. One devoid of self-cruelty.

“You’re always so good at that,” he said. “Pulling me away from the brink. Making me feel like you might be right. Like I can heal. Like I _am_ healing.” Shiro’s smile grew tender. “Who knows? Maybe if we stick together long enough, I _will_ only have thirty-eight scars?”

“I highly doubt that,” Ulaz countered with amusement. “You’re a Paladin of Voltron. A warrior. I do not believe your days of fighting will end as soon as any of us would like, and you are likely to be wounded again.”

The Galra gently carded his clawed fingers through the bristle and softness of Shiro’s hair, stroking through it and following the curve of the human’s skull. Imagined the brilliant mind protected underneath, and all Shiro had endured and survived. Everything he would continue to endure and survive.

Shiro sighed again at the ministrations, open and vulnerable and trusting in a way Ulaz could hardly believe, and he couldn’t help the gentle blaze of hope and care smoldering in his chest.

“But perhaps, one day,” Ulaz said. “Your unseen scar will finally heal and fade.”

The human’s dark eyes stared at him and the moment grew long. Finally, Shiro smiled.

“Well, I’m confident it will since I’ve got the best doctor around with me.”

Ulaz smirked.

“I am not a psychologist, Shiro.”

“No,” Shiro agreed, pushing himself up and shifting until they were face-to-face. “But you care about me, and I trust you.” Shiro’s flesh hand reached out to draw Ulaz close, fingers slipping through short fur. “And if anyone can help me heal — has helped me heal — it’s you, Ulaz.”

And as Shiro closed the distance with a kiss, Ulaz wondered if this strange, incredible man was right. And as he returned the kiss, pulling the paladin that much closer, he hoped Shiro was.


End file.
